Aloe Gardens Have Space to Grow

Few gardens have the space or conditions to grow these
extraordinary aloes, but it is worth the space and trouble.  These
plants never fail to attract attention to a garden.
1   Aloe dichotoma x Aloe ramosissima hybrid is
easier than either one of the species to grow.
2  Aloe pilansii  the top of the range of  "must
have" for the serious experienced aloe gardeners.  It is also the most
difficult of the tree aloes to grow - if you are able to get one!
3  Aloe ramosissima is the smallest of this group
but more difficult than Aloe dichotoma when grown out of habitat.

Above:- Aloes growing in the Vanruynsdorp nursery situated 
in habitat of these aloes.

Below:-  Aloe dichotoma, Aloe ramosissima and a hybrid in the garden.


Below:-
4  Aloe barberae below is not from a harsh habitat
and an easy tree aloe to grow in a garden.
The range of this aloe is a broad coastal zone from East
London in South Africa northwards up to Mozambique. 

Above:-  This is a group of trees planted together. 
Here it is growing very well  in the winter rainfall  frost free
climate.  Aloe barberae does not like frost but even there you will
find them in gardens in Namaqualand or in the Karoo botanical garden where
there is frost.  The secret is that it is dry frost and the trees were
protected by other plants or against a house. Wet and cold kills most aloes. 
This tree grows high.  The wall is two meter high on the photo above.


Here is Aloe barberae as a single tree planted next to
Aloe marlothii to the left and Aloe ferox to the right. 
Both species are also described as tree aloes.
The photo was taken in the botanical garden near
Worcester.  The tree grows on a hill where the cold air will move
downhill quickly.  This climate is very dry compared to the habitat of
Aloe barberae which proves again that this is an easy aloe to grow.

A new book, on Limestone Fynbos

A new book, on Limestone Fynbos, published  by the Duiwenshok Conservancy.(not a profit organisation!)

Limestone Fynbos is an intriguing flora that occurs on our southern coast, wherever there are limestone hills or cliffs. Most of the plants occur in a broad sweep from Gansbaai to the Gouritz River, including pockets at Cape Point and Macassar. This flora can be divided into three natural units, Agulhas Limestone, De Hope Limestone and Canca Limestone. In December 2007 Veld and Flora published an article on the Agulhas Limestone. The Duiwenhoks Conservancy has added a new aspect to the literature available on this rather unknown flora by publishing a book that describes the Limestone Fynbos of the Vermaaklikheid area, near Heildelberg, which falls in the Canca Limestone unit.

Limestone Fynbos is floristically very different from other vegetation. The reason for this is that these plants thrive on a soil type that would be toxic to most fynbos plants, which are normally found on acidic or neutral soils.  They grow on limestone soils, which are so alkaline that if you squeeze lemon juice on them they will fizz. It is this alkalinity in the soil that is toxic to most fynbos plants. In a remarkable adaptation to a hostile soil environment, Limestone Fynbos has evolved as a unique flora that shares only a few species in common with sandstone fynbos and sand fynbos. As one would expect from a flora that is confined to such specific soils, many plants are endemic, meaning that they grow only on such soils or even at only one locality.

At first glance, this little-known flora appears as dry woody scrub. On closer inspection a fascinating array of intriguing and sometimes tiny flowers emerge. Over the past ten years, the author Louisa Oberholzer began collecting, describing and photographing the plants in the Vermaaklikheid area of the Western Cape ( Near Stillbaai). The Duiwenhoks Conservancy provided financial support for the identification of the species and finally for the publication of the book, Limestone Fynbos of the Vermaaklikheid Area. It presents a photographic record and description of 124 species. Of particular interest are the intriguing Fabaceae, or pea-like flowers and the pungent buchus, which belong to the Rutacea or citrus family.

The aim of the publication is to inform the public and particularly landowners about the value of Limestone Fynbos and the importance controlling alien vegetation, which is a major threat to all the fynbos plant communities.

The book is priced at R130.00 available from the Duiwenhoks Conservancy, (info@duiwenhoksconservancy.co.za) and also from the author, (louisa.stanford@gmail.com)